March 5, 2020

With winter starting to wind down, this is the time of year that cities around the world usually prepare for incoming business conferences and big events to bring in thousands of travelers. The annual South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, will be held later this month followed closely by spring break holidays and then the Olympics in Japan during the summer. But with cases of coronavirus now appearing in Europe and the U.S., many organizations and governments are either Continue reading

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March 3, 2020

Although many wealthy democracies across the world mandate paid sick leave for workers, the U.S. does not require companies to grant their employees any time off. About one in four Americans cannot take the day off if they fall ill, with many working in busy businesses like retailers and restaurants. As a result, medical experts fear that a disease like the coronavirus could spread even quicker if potentially sick people must continue going to work.

The nation’s lack of sick Continue reading

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February 28, 2020

Stock markets around the world have been falling dramatically all week due to fears surrounding the spread of the coronavirus. If global exchanges continue with this cycle of massive selloffs today, then the past week could represent the biggest stock market drop since the height of the 2008 financial crisis. And it’s not looking too good so far: “We’re drinking from a fireman’s hose this morning,” said Patrick Spencer, managing director at the investment firm Baird. “It wasn’t a good Continue reading

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February 18, 2020

Rather than worry about having cash on hand, many American consumers now prefer to use credit or debit cards as their preferred methods of payment. Companies are usually happy to oblige cashless customers since cards are easy to process and keep busy lines moving. In fact, a number of retailers and restaurants across the country have switched to cashless payment models that rely entirely on cards or mobile apps. According to consumer advocates and lawmakers, however, these businesses could be Continue reading

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February 14, 2020

The consumer goods giant Unilever is known for its huge portfolio of major brands like Dove, Lipton, Axe, and many others. The conglomerate also owns several big names in the ice cream aisle such as Breyers, Klondike, Good Humor, Ben & Jerry’s, and more. But while these brands are well-known to many consumers, they’re about to become a lot less familiar to kids. That’s because Unilever recently announced that by the end of the year it would stop airing TV Continue reading

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February 4, 2020

The national unemployment rate is currently at 3.5 percent, its lowest point in decades. As a result, retailers and restaurant chains across the country are having a difficult time finding workers to fill low-wage positions. “Understaffing is a massive problem,” said Jonathan Maze, executive editor of Restaurant Business Magazine. “You have companies that are stressed to try to fill hours and keep people on, and it can lead to violations.” 

According to a recent ruling from a Massachusetts court, Continue reading

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January 30, 2020

Last weekend during a busy dinner service, San Francisco restaurant owner Pim Techamuanvivit received a strange phone call. The caller wanted to know when the delivery he ordered through Seamless would turn up since he had already waited 45 minutes for it. “I think you must be confused, because I don’t do delivery,” replied Techamuanvivit. The frustrated person on the other line then asked why her business was listed on Seamless. Upon further investigation, Techamuanvivit discovered that both Seamless and Continue reading

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January 24, 2020

Last year, the Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge completed a marathon in under two hours, a feat that was once thought to be impossible. But along with his considerable athletic skills, Kipchoge also had help from a revolutionary new product: Nike’s Vaporfly running shoes. This video takes a look at the sudden dominance of the Vaporfly and how regulators could possibly ban the shoe if it proves to give runners too much of an advantage.

Questions:

  1. Do you think Nike Continue reading
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January 23, 2020

In 1933 Nathan Glickberg opened a fruit and vegetable stand in Manhattan before eventually moving into a nearby storefront. His grandson Howie expanded the store in the 1970s, adding more groceries and specialty items as well as a new name: Fairway. In the years since, the store became a staple for many New Yorkers drawn by Fairway’s low prices and wide selection of quality products. Then in the early 2000s a private equity firm bought a controlling stake in the Continue reading

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January 14, 2020

Although milk was a staple of the American diet throughout the 20th century, today’s consumers don’t drink nearly as much of it as they did in the past. In 2018 Americans each drank an average of 146 pounds of fluid milk, a category that includes everything from skim milk to heavy cream. While that’s still quite a lot of dairy, it also represents a 26 percent decrease in consumption since 2000. Along with this declining demand, milk companies have also Continue reading

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